Cardinal has lots of positives to take home

• by Soccer America , Aug 25, 2014

[STANFORD-DUKE: Women] Two days after beating No. 4 North Carolina, 1-0, in overtime, No. 7 Stanford won the Carolina Nike Classic on Sunday with a 2-0 triumph over No. 10 Duke.
 
Lo’eau LaBonta scored with a 57th-minute header, and Haley Rosen added a second goal in the 85th minute for the Cardinal in its first meeting with Duke since the 2011 NCAA final.
 
“I was most impressed with the character of the team to come back after Friday night with high energy,” Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe said. “There are a lot of positives we can take from the weekend.”
 
LaBonta struck the post in a first half in which Stanford outshot the Blue Devils, 7-2, and then put the Cardinal ahead when the 5-foot-2 senior rose above a defender to strike a firm header.

Hannah Farr, a lacrosse All-American, set up LaBonta with the first goal on a cross from her new outside back position. Farr had been injured in practice but recovered from the facial injuries to play well in both games in Chapel Hill.

“I have a lot respect for Hannah,” Ratcliffe said. “She’s a competitor like no other. She played a pivotal role for us all weekend. “
 
Chioma Ubogagu, whose goal was the winner against North Carolina, set up Rosen, a fifth-year senior, for the insurance goal.